The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-05
OUR WEALTHY ANNEX.
What an Alaska Miner Says About
That Territory.

What an Alaska Miner Says About
That Territory.
From the 81. Louis lUJc-ncmocraL
George Il. langtry is in st. Louis on his
way home from Alaska TO visit his friends
in the Gust. Mr.. Langley, who is tail,
good looking young miner, has been in
Alaska for the last nine years, without
once pcepng out at the polished older civ
ilization OF this country. For the last two
yeaB he has not seen the quartz mines,
but has been IN the interior, ON tho
Yukon river and lis tributaries, among
the placer discoveries. Some good spots
that paid well were found along the
streams, Nh. langtry SAYS. but the dig.
ginR do not hold out This summer q
spot on For,y-milc creel, yielded quite u
bit Of gold, but IL, too, failed 10 hold ont.
II paid well, however, Tor the time itlas,cd.
Mr. Langtry left Alaska August 20,
and snow fell September I ut his
camp. The summers are quite warm,
but the winters are OF eight
or nine months duration. and. 20 Use Mr..
langiry's words, 'the cold il terrific +"
last winter the mercury frule up aud n.-
manned frozen two months and hall.
No attempt LAS been made 10 misp crops
other than a few tutnips, except ON the
Yukon, too or 100 miles below Mr.. Lang
try's home, whore tumips, bcets aud
other hardy vegetables are reported
rs a pretty safe and sure crop.
A few good turnips we're raised
this year at the mouth at the Stewart
river, but vegetables aro not 10 bc relied
on in this cold region. The Alaska com.
mercial company has supply station ut
the mouth OF the Yukon, and runs a
steamer into the interior once or twice
during the summer with provisions. The
men do not get any fresh vegetables and
the meats arr III canned. For MI that the
miners ARE very healthy. and at camp.
nj the mouth OF Stewart river. this
summer out Of 100 men only onc
came down with land scurvy. land scurvy
differs from sel scurvy In that the disease
atincks men who. have been eating fresh
meat, m well ~ thosc who have adhered
exclusively 10 junk aud other salt meats.
This summers scuryy victim was u mis-.
sionary priest. The newspaper printed
ut Juneau, Mr.. Lmgtry saws, oxng.
gcrates In IFS reports about the s:c-
cess II tho mining business. nEd
it, announcements will have a tendency
10 bring 10 Alaska q great rush o. people
ne.d summer, 10 their own dclriment' of
cOursa. Mr.. Lsnytry thinks, however,
that 'hor Is q good prospect for some man
or company with means 10 find something
some time aud somewhere In the ground
that will pay well ior the mining. as the
land il unmisilkably mineral. A deep
mine there would have 10 be dcyclnIcd
slowly, as the yrodnd IL frozen, ex-
pcnscs arc high. and there nrc
many disadvantages and impcdimc NJ IL
overcome. One OF tho discoveries In the
mining line n located on disputed terri.
tory, and us the 10 .nddry line lctwcrn
Canada and Alaska * undo. uGirrd. or In
dispGtc. a good deal IT wrlnglng b looked
for. A the question of duties AMI liscn n
fsilrss IN the dispute. " las become the
more interesting. Thwc ~ four ycar, AGO
the Uiiicd Si,t"y s-nt Syhvglka out 10
Alavk. Ia mlleWrNrys 90 mp thee 10
the River Yukon, and now tlic British sur.
vtyon slv the servant Ol uu,lf Sim va,
"avay OF ON soms Of his measurements,
and have corrected the mans hy recent
surveys. A good deal OF work In quartz
mining " being done ut the Douglas
Island mines, ON the southeast consi, mean
Sitka, the capital, and regular monthly
steamers connect that paft oi the world
with san fmnrisru.